Rear sight for firearms



March 6, 1945. L C GARAND 2,370,654

REAR SIGHT FOR FIREARMS Filed Oct. 23, 1942 Patented Mar. 6, 1945 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as

amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) 6 Claims.

The invention described herein may be manu factured and used by or forthe Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me ofany royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a rear sight for a firearm.

An object of this invention is to provide a rear sight for a firearmthat may be conveniently and quickly adjusted for windage and elevation.

Another object of this invention is to provide a rear sight which willpositively hold the sight settings regardless of any jarring due tofiring or other causes.

The specific nature of this invention as well as other objects andadvantages thereof will clearly appear from a description of a preferredembodiment as shown in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the rear sight.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the rear sight shown in Fig.l.

Fig. 3 is a top elevational view of Fig. 1 with aperture shown partiallybroken.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along plane 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a left end elevational view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 constitutes a side and top elevational view of the aperturespring.

Fig. 7 is a top elevational view of the main leaf spring.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale of the aperturespring.

There is shown in Fig. 1 a rear sight embodying this inventioncomprising mainly a base I, a leaf 5, an aperture I0, and a leaf springI5. The aperture I is sli-dably mounted on the leaf 5 for elevationadjustment. The leaf is in turn mounted on the base I in such a manneras to permit lateral adjustment for windage, such adjustment beingobtained by lateral displacement of the leaf spring I5 which ispivotally secured to the base I and bears against the inside edges ofthe leaf 5, as will be presently described.

The base I is a long fiat rectangular member. Approximately in thecenter of the base I there is provided on the top surface an integralupwardly projecting dovetailed portion Ia. In the center of thedovetailed projection Ia there is provided a hole Ib. The underside Icof the base I is suitably milled to correspond to the arcuate surface ofa firearm 2 as shown in Fig. 4. The base I is secured to the firearm 2by a screw 3 which is inserted in the hole Ib and into a suitablythreaded hole in the firearm 2. Near the forward or right-hand edge ofbase I as viewed in Fig. 1 a small counterbored hole Id is Provided toreceive a pin 3a. The counterbored portion of the hole is on theunderside Ic of the base I. The pin 3a has an integrally formedcylindrical head 3b which is inserted in the counterbored hole Id of thebase I. The pin 3a projects slightly above the base I to secure a leafspring I5 as will be presently described. On the upper surface of thebase I at the rear or left-hand edge of the base I as viewed in Fig. 3there are provided a series of short V-shaped serrations 4 which areformed on radial lines extending rearwardly from the axis of the holeId. These serrations are for windage adjustment as will be described.

The leaf is U-shaped and comprises a base 5a and integral upwardlyprojecting sides 5b and 5c.

on each side of the base 5a. The sides 5b and 5c are inclined upwardlyat an angle from the base 5a towards the right as shown in Fig. 1. Adovetailed slot 5d is provided on the underside of the base 5a formounting and securing the leaf 5 to the base I. Integrally formed lugs 6and 'I are provided along the upper edges of the sides 5b and 5crespectively of the leaf 5. The lugs 6 and 'I project outwardly somewhatfrom the sides 5b and 5c respectively and are disposed at right anglesthereto. Integral downwardly projecting stops 6a and 'Ia are provided onthe forward or right-hand end of the lugs B and 'I respectively, asviewed in Fig. 1. Approximately one-third of the distance of the base 5afrom the right end of the leaf 5 as viewed in Fig. 3 there are providedintegral projecting lugs 8 and 9 on the inside surface of the sides 5band 5c respectively. The lugs B and 9are positioned slightly above thebase 5a so that the leaf spring I5 may be inserted thereunder to aid insecuring leaf spring I5 as will be described. On the outer side 6a ofthe lug 6 there are provided a series of small U-shaped notches 6d whichare spaced in any desired increments of sight elevation adjustment. Onthe top surface 'Ic of the lug 'I there are provided transverse sightgraduation markings 'Ib which are spaced to correspond to the notches6d.

An aperture IIJ is slidably mounted on the lugs 6 and 'I of the leaf 5.The aperture Il) comprises an inverted U-shaped base Illa havingdepending arms II and I2 (Fig. 3) and an upwardly projecting circularlyshaped eye-piece Ib. A peephole I0f is centrally provided in theeye-piece IOb. Inwardly projecting ribs IIa and I2a are provided on thearms II and I2 of the base Illa. The ribs IIa and I2a slidably engagethe lugs 6 and l and secure the aperture I0 to the leaf 5. On theoutside edges of the arms II and I2 of the aperture I there are providedsuitably serrated surfaces Id and IIIe to provide a convenientnon-slipping grasping surface. A hole Ig is provided approximately inthe center of the arm II of the aperture I0 extending obliquely downwardthrough the arm II and adapted to be aligned with any one of the notches6d on lug E. When pin I4 is inserted in the hole |09 approximatelyone-half the diameter of the pin projects into one of the notches 6d. Asmall flat spring I3 is placed between the aperture I0 and the lug 'I ofthe leaf 5. A small downwardly projecting integrally formed lug I3a(Fig. 6) is provided on each end of the spring I3. The lugs provided onthe spring I3 extend down into small vertical recesses formed in thelower corners of the rib I2a thereby securing the spring I3 againstlongitudinal displacement. Thus when the aperture I 0 is mounted on theleaf 5 the central portion of spring I3 engages the side wall 5c andthus biases the aperture to one side so that the arm II of the aperturebears tightly but movably against the lug 6 of the leaf 5. When a forceis applied to the aperture I0 by grasping the serrated surfaces IIld andIlle on the outside of the aperturev I0 hold the aperture on the leaf 5against displacement due to jarring or other causes because theprojecting pin I4 firmly engages one of the U- shaped notches 6d.

A leaf spring I5 is pivotally mounted on the projecting end of pin 3a byengagement in a hole I5a. from fiat stock and is provided with twointegral outwardly projecting lugs I5b and I 5c approximately in thecenter thereof (Fig. 7). A slight angular bend is provided adjacent tohole I5a to permit the spring to lie fiat along the top of the base 5aof the leaf 5. The projecting lugs I5c and I5b of the spring I5 haverounded ends and are slidablyV inserted under the projecting lugs 8 and9 provided on the inside of the arms 5b and 5c of the leaf 5. Thus lugs8 and 9 hold the spring I5 firmly but movably in place. The.Av

other end of ld of spring I5 is provided with a circular bend whichprojects downwardly and terminates in a series of serrations I5e whichcorrespond to the V-shaped serrations 4 provided `on the base I. Thespring action of the leaf I5 forces the serrations I5e provided on theend of the spring I5 to firmly engage corresponding serrations il on thebase I. D-ownwardly inclined surface I5]c on the end I5d of spring I5 issuitably graduated for indexing the leaf spring for any windagea-djustment desired.

This rear sight is quickly adjusted for elevation by grasping theaperture between the thumb and the index finger and sliding the apertureIII- along the leaf to the desired range setting as indicated by thegraduations 1b provided on the leaf. Sight aperture I0 is securely heldin the desired position as previously mentioned. Windage adjustment iseasily obtained by moving the leaf spring I5 to either the right or theleft after grasping and raising the downwardly projecting end I5f of theleaf spring I5 between the fingers. Spring tension in the leaf spring I5securely holds the leaf 5 in the desired location on the rear sight baseI.

I claim:

1. A firearm sight comprising a base, a ramp The spring I5 is preferablyformed member mounted on said base for transverse movement with respectthereto, said member comprising a pair of upstanding walls having upwardly inclined top surfaces, a resilient member lpivotally mounted onsaid base, said resilient member arranged to pass between said walls andto secure the ramp member to the base in any one of a plurality ofpositions laterally of the firearm, a sight aperture member slidablymounted on said upwardly inclined top surfaces, and detent meansoperative between the sight aperture member and the ramp member tosecure the sight aperture member to the ramp member in any one of aplurality of positions vertically of the firearm.

2. A firearm sight comprising a base, a ramp member mounted on said basefor transverse movement with respect thereto, said member comprising apair of upstanding walls having upwardly inclined top surfaces, aresilient pivoted member engaging said Walls and arranged to secure theramp member to the base in any one of a plurality of positions, a sightaperture member slidably mounted on said upwardly inclined surfaces,there being a plurality of spaced notches on one of said walls, a detentin the sight aperture member engageable in any one of said notches, andresilient means between the other Wall and the sight aperture memberbiasing said detent into engagement in said notches.

3. A firearm sight comprising a base arranged to be secured to afirearm, a U-shaped member slidably secured to said base for transversemovement thereon, the arms of said U-shaped member having upwardlyinclined top surfaces, a leaf spring having one end pivotally secured tosaid base, said leaf spring passing between and engaging the arms ofsaid U-shaped member to thereby secure the U-shaped member to the basein any one of a plurality of positions laterally of the firearm,sighting means slidably supported on the inclined top surfaces of thearms of said U-shaped member and means for resiliently securing saidsighting means in a plurality of positions vertically of the firearm onsaid U-shaped member.

4. A firearm sightv comprising a base arranged to be secured toafirearm, a U-shape-d member slidably secured to said base for transversemovement thereon, the arms of said U-shaped member having upwardlyinclined top surfaces, a leaf spring having one end pivotally secured tosaid base, said leaf spring passing between and engaging the arms ofsaid U-shaped member and having its other end arranged to resilientlyengage in any one of a plurality of transverse spaced notches in saidbase whereby said U-shaped member is secured to the base in any one of aplurality of transverse positions laterally of the firearm, sightingmeans slidably supported on the inclined top surfaces of the arms ofsaid U-shaped member and means for resiliently securing said sightingmeans in any one of a plurality of positions vertically of the firearmon said U-shaped member.

5. A firearm sight comprising in combination, a ramp member arranged tobe mounted on a firearm for transverse movement with respect thereto, aleaf spring member having one end portion arranged to be pivotallysecured to the firearm, another portion overlying said ramp member andanother end portion arranged to resiliently engage the firearm tothereby secure said ramp member in any one of a plurality of trans--verse positions with respect to the firearm, a sight aperture membermounted on the ramp member, and detent means operative between saidsight and aperture members to secure the former to the latter in any oneof a plurality of positions vertically of the rearm.

6. A firearm sight comprising a base, a ramp member mounted on said basefor transverse movement with respect thereto, a leaf spring memberhaving one end portion pivotally secured to said base, a central portionoverlying said ramp member and its opposite end portion constructed toresiliently engage said base to thereby secure said ramp member in anyone of a plurality of transverse positions with respect to said base, asight aperture member slidably mounted on the ramp member, and detentmeans operative between said sight aperture member and said ramp memberto secure the former to the latter in any one of a plurality ofpositions vertically of said base.

JOHN C. GARAND.

